Display apparatus for carpets



2 Sheets- Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

S. SHILLITO. DISPLAY APPARATUS FOR GARPETS, m No. 593,033. Patented Nov. 2,1897.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. SHILLITO. DISPLAY APPARATUS FOR GABPETS, &c. No. 593,033. I Patented Nov. 2,1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @rricn.

STEIVART SHILLITO, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

DISPLAY APPARATUS FOR CARPETS, 8:.0.

SPEGI'FIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,033, dated November 2, 1897,

Application filed July 13, 1897. Serial No. 644,384. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEWART SHILLITO, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Display Apparatus for Carpets and other Merchandise, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide improved apparatus by which a series of carpets, curtains, or other articles of merchandise may be displayed to customers or to the public generally in a convenient and attractive manner; and the invention consists in the parts and combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

I have illustrated my invention as used for the purpose of displaying carpets.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the device; Fig. 2, a horizontal section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a detail of the guide-pipe and the corresponding guide-roller C; Fig. 4., a perspective view showing the guide-pipe and directing-wire; Fig. 5, a rear view showing a modified form; Fig. 6, a plan A A represent reels adapted to receive the carpets or other articles to be displayed and mounted at a distance apart equivalent to the field of view desired or permitted by the space at command. These reelsare provided at one end, preferably the lower, with sprocketwheels a a, which are connected by sprocketchains B B with sprocket-wheels c c, secured to shafts C G, carrying at their opposite ends bevel-gears c a which mesh with bevel-gears (1 cl, adapted to beactuated by crank-arms D D E E are guide and supporting tubes, the general direction of which is parallel to a line extended through the axes of the reels A A. In one mode of applying my invention but one of these tubes is used, as shown in Fig. 2, while in another mode two are used, as shown in Fig. 6. The guide-tubes are provided at their lower ends with longitudinal slots at e 6, adapted to receive the necks of supporting-rods F, adapted to be secured to a carpet or other goods. The end of each of the supporting-rods is provided with a sphere f, preferably rotatable upon its vertical axis and adapted to take into the slotted tube.

For the purpose of more readily directing the spheres into the guide-tubes the ends of the latter are provided with wide-mouthed depending and converging supplemental guides 6 hereinafter called guide-wires.

G G G G are guide-rollers.

The carpets to be displayed, preferably in rug form, are fastened to each other, so as to make a strip of any desired length. Supporting-rods F are secured to one edge of this strip at suitable distances apart by stitching or other convenient means. In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 one end of this strip is secured to one of the reels and the strip Wound thereon. The other end of the strip is passed in front of the guide-rolls G G, the spheres on the supporting-rods being guided into the slotted guide-tube and the free end of the strip secured to the other reel. By actuating the crank which drives the unwound reel the carpet will be caused to travel across the field of view, being wound on one reel as it is unwound from the other. WV hen the winding is completed in one direction, the crank which actuates the other reel is operated and the carpet travels in the reverse direction. The pivoted spheres on the ends of the supporting-rods serve as traveling supports. It is found by actual use that when pivoted these spheres rotate in one direction or the other and lessen the friction.

If unsupported except by the reels, the carpet would be liable to sag or belly, but this is prevented by the slotted tube and supporting-rods. In the absence of the guide-rollers the carpet would tend to travel in a constantly-changing plane as the diameter of the respective reels, with their loads of carpet, increased or decreased by transfer to or from the other reel, rendering it difficult to guide thesupporting-rods into the slots.

The guide-rollers are so placed as to insure the travel of the displayed portion of the carpet in the same vertical plane, and the slotted tube is mounted so that it is tangent to both guide-rollers, so that the supporting-rods are always brought into close proximity to the mouths of the tubes. Any sagging or lateral displacement of the rods which may occur between the reels and the mouths of the slotted tubes is taken care of by the guide-wires 6 For displaying goods that are not adapted to reeling, or when it is desired to exhibit the same articles in more rapid succession, the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is preferred. In this form a strip, either of thegoods themselves or one or more bands to which the goods may be attached, is carried around the reels, which then become mere rolls, and the ends fastened together, thereby forming a continuous strip or strips, the supporting rods be: ing carried into the slotted tubes, as before. Either reel may then be used as a drivingreel and the strip or strips moved continuously in one direction.

It is obvious that instead of the spheres on the supporting-rods segments of spheres might be used, though I prefer the complete sphere.

When the goods are to be reeled, it is desirable to have the traveling strip under tension in order to insure smoothness, and for this purpose I apply a brake H, which may be of any approved form, to the reel from which the goods are being delivered;

I have illustrated a simple form ofdriving mechanism, but where more than occasional operation is required power-driven mechanism of any suitable type may be substituted.

The apparatus is designed for attractive displays in show-Windows or for exhibiting goods to customers in salesrooms.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, in a display device, of reels adapted to receive and deliver strips of carpeting or other material; supportingrods adapted to be attached to the strips and carrying at their free ends, spheres or spheroids; one or more slotted guides adapted to receive the free ends of the supporting-rods and form a track for the spheres, and means for rotating the reels, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, in a display device, of reels adapted to receive and deliver strips of carpeting or other material; supportingrods adapted to be attached to the strips and carrying at their free ends spheres or spheroids pivotallymounted on their vertical axes one or more slotted guides adapted to receive the free ends of the supporting-rods and form a track for the spheres; and means for rotating the reels, substantially as and for the purpose set forth:

8. The combination, in a display device, of reels adapted to receive and deliver strips of carpeting or other material; supportingrods adapted to be attached to the strips and carrying at their free ends spheres or spheroids; one or more slotted guides adapted to receive the free ends of the supporting-rods and form a track for the spheres; guide-Wires adapted to direct the spheres into the slotted guides; and means for rotating the reels, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

STEWART SHILLITO.

Witnesses:

' FRANK O. WILKINSON, FRANK Gone. 

